Controlling apparatus



Dec. 21, 1937. R. D. M DILL CONTROLLING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 2, 1932 INVENTOR.

By $422M M G F qT *5 g? lfi Q T1 WW N a) a n *Mflfi 3M TOR Patented Dec. 21, 1937 UNITED v 2402598 CONTROLLING APPARATUS Rex n. McDill, East Cleveland, =liio, assignor to Adjustable Scaffold & Form Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation:

Application September-2,1932, Serial No. 631,529

13 Claims. v(c1. 192-.01)

This invention relates to controlling apparatus and is particularly applicable to the control, from a distant point, of an engine or the like.

An object of the invention is to provide improved controlling means by which an engine or like source of power can be started and stopped from a remote point.

Another object is to provide an improved controlling means by which, from a remote point, 0 apparatus may be connected with and disconnected, from a source of power.

Another object is to provide an improved conv trolling means by which the power or speed of an engine or similar device may be controlled from a-remote point.

Other objects will hereinafter appear. The invention will be better understood from the description of one practical embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which; 7 r V Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation oi the controlling means as it may be applied to an internal combustion engine.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view of the motors F and R, applied to a single jaw clutch of conventional type, and

v Figure 3 is a similar fragmentary view showing the motors F and R applied to aconventional reversing jaw clutch.

In Figure 1, the engine itself is not illustrated, but it will be understood that this is of any'well known or desired construction, such as a gas, gasoline, or oil engine, the throttle being controlled by an arm T, the explosive charges being elec- 35 trically ignited by the ignition circuit I which has interposed in it a switch S, and that the engine is also equipped with a choke controlled by a lever C to insure a rich mixture during start- The engine is also provided with an electrical starting motor in the usual manner.

A clutch is provided for connecting the motor to any mechanism to be driven thereby, and may be conveniently operated by clutch operating apparatus such as described in my copending application Serial Number 629,816, filed August 22, 1932, now Patent No. 1,990,048, issued February 5, 1935. For this purpose, two electric motors are shown, one of which, F, may be used to throw the clutch into a position for driving the mechanism in a forward direction, and the other, R, may move it to position for driving in a reverse direction. If desired, one motor may be used to throw the clutch into engagement by moving it in one direction, and the other to disengage the clutch by moving in the other direction. It will be understood that in such aninstallatlon the clutch may be of the well known type of reversing clutch such as is used in motor boats and other marine installations, or the like, or it may be of the type used in automotive land vehicles which merely engages and disengages, and which type is likewise well known to those skilled in the art.

In Figure 1 of the drawing are shown a plurality of button-operated switches 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 and also a switch I having a pivoted arm. One side of each of these switches is connected to a conductor 8 which extends from a source of current 9, conveniently a battery of relatively high voltage and low amperage such, for instance, as a 90 volt B battery of the kind provided for use in radio sets.

From the opposite sides of switches 2 tot,

tery 9, while the opposite ends of relays l8. and

iii are connected to a conductor 2| which is connected to a thermostatic switch 22. From this switch a conductor 23 extends to the conductor 20 above mentioned. This switch is positioned in the cooling system of the engine or some similar place so that the clutch cannot be operated until the engine has been properly warmed up.

The switch 1 is provided with a plurality of contacts 24, connected by conductors 25 to spaced taps upon the magnet coil of a relay 26, one end of this coil being connected to the conductor 20.

The relays control a number of circuits which actuate the various parts of the engine control and which derive their power from sources of electricity 28a and 28, most conveniently storage batteries having a relatively high amperage and low voltage, these batteries being connected in series and grounded at one end, as indicated at 29.

From the other end of the battery 28a, conductor 30' extends having branches 3|, 32, 33 and 34, the first of which terminates in a contact in relay I5 and is adapted, by means of this relay, to be connected to conductor which acuates the mechanism for starting the motor. This conductor is connected to a solenoid 36, the other end of which is grounded, which solenoid is provided with an armature 31 connected to the throttle lever T. In parallel with the solenoid S a starting motor M which rotates the crank shaft of the engine to start the same. Mechanically connected to the lever T is the spark control mechanism, so that when the solenoid 36 is actuated, the throttle is opened to the proper position for starting the engine, and the spark retarded to its starting position, and simultaneously the crankshaft of the engine is rotated by starting motor M. The lever T is provided with an arm terminating in a lug To which may engage the side of the controlling lever T to mechanically and positively return the same to starting position when lever T is returned thereto.

Branch 33 is connected by relay IE to a conductor 38 and so to a solenoid 39, the armature of which is connected to the choke lever C. Hence, the starting of the engine may be accomplished by the actuation of buttons 2 and 3, the former controlling the ignition or spark and throttle as well as starting the motor, and the latter controlling the choke.

The operator can thus choke the engine as much or as little as he desires and can actuate the starting motor as long as may be necessary;

Branch conductor 34 is adapted to be connected by relay I! to a conductor 4| which extends to a solenoid 42, grounded at its other end, as are the two above described, and having an armature 43 connected to one element of ignition switch S, so that when it is desired to stop the motor, it is only necessary to close the switch 4, interrupting the ignition circuit until the motor has ceased to turn.

A spring 44 is connected to lever T and may be sufflciently strong to move this lever to running position when switch 2 is released. This would be entirely satisfactory where it is desired to operate the engine only at a fixed throttle and spark setting.

A type of clutch which merely engages and disengages is illustrated in Figure 2, in which the shaft driven by the engine or other source of power is indicated at IN, the shaft which is to be driven being indicated at I02.

Shaft I M has fixed to it one element I03 of a jaw clutch, while the other element of the jaw clutch conjugate thereto is slidably splined on the shaft I02.

Pivoted on a shaft I05 isan arm I06 by which the jaw member I04 may 'be-slid along shaft I02 to become engaged with ordisengaged from jaw I03, and fixed .to this arm to rotate therewith is a toothed sector I 01 with which meshes a gear I00 fixed to the shaft of motor F and also-a gear I09 similarly fixed to the shaft of motor R.

It will be understood that, with the parts seen in Figure 2, when motor F is operated the sector I 01 is swung to the left, moving the jaw I06 into locking engagement with jaw I08, and that when motor R is actuated, the sector is swung to the right, disengaging the jaws.

Similarly, Figure 3 illustrates a clutch mechanism for obtaining two directions of rotation of a driven shaft when operated from a drive shaft which rotates in a single direction.

The drive shaft is illustrated at 20I and the driven shaft at 202. To the former is fixed a bevelled pinion 203 and rotatable on the latter is a similar bevelled pinion 204, both pinions meshing with a gear 205, so that they rotate in opposite directions.

Pinion 203 has fixed to it an element 206 of conventional jaw clutch and pinion 204 has fixed to it similar clutch element 201.

Splined on shaft 202 is a double clutch element 203 arranged to be actuat d byan arm 208 mounted on a pivot 2I0 and fixed to a toothed sector 2I I With this sector mesh pinions 2I2 are fixed to the shaft of motor F and 2I3 fixed to the shaft of motor R.

By the actuation of motor F, sector 2| I is swung to the left, engaging elements 200 and 208, and therefore driving shaft 202 in the same direction as 20I. When motor R is actuated, sector is swung to the right so that clutch elements 201 and 200 are engaged and shaft 202 is driven through gears 203, 205, and 204 in the opposite direction to 20I.

For situations in which a fixed setting is not desired the switch I is utilized and, by it, it will be seen that any desired length of coil 26 may be energized.

The plunger 2! of this relay may, therefore, be moved to any one of a plurality of positions, in each of which one side will bear upon contact 45, connected to conductor 32, and the other side will contact one of the elements 40. These elements are connected by conductors 41 to taps on solenoid 40, having an armature 49 supported by springs 50 and 5I and which is mechanically connected with the throttle controlling lever T.

By this means, it will be seen that lever it" may be moved to any of a plurality of positions, each corresponding to one of the contacts 24, and that this lever will correspondingly open or close the throttle and, if it contacts lug Ta, advance or retard the spark of the engine.

From between batteries 28a and 28 a conductor 52 extends branching to contacts contiguous to relays I8 and i5, by the uation of either of these relays, it may be con-n W"; to conductors 53 or 54, through the former of which current may be supplied to motor F, which, as above described, throws the clutch into engagement for driving the mechanism in a forward direction, or

with motor R which, as has likewise been explained, throws the clutch into rearward driving engagement. returned to like.

Alternatively, one motor may be used to throw the clutch in, and the otherto throw it out, if there is no necessity for action.

A generator G is connected to conductor 30 through a generator cut-out 55 and conductor 56, .the other side of the generator being grounded, as shown. This generator is driven by the engine and serves to recharge batteries 20a and 28, from which a fairly large quantity of electricity may be drawn to actuate the devices.

It will be seen that the relays are actuated by a high voltage current having relatively low amperage, and that the devices actuated by the relays may all be positioned very close together adjacent the engine, so that only the relatively small high voltage currents need be transmitted across the space between control and engine, and that relatively light wiring may, therefore, be used.

While I have described the illustrated embodiment of my invention in some particularity, obviously many modifications thereon will readily occur to those skilled in the art to which this appertains, and I do not, therefore, limit myself to the precise details shown and described but claim as my invention all embodiments coming within the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. Controlling mechanism for an internal comneutral position by a spring or the The clutch may conveniently be reversing the clutch gized,

bustion engine having a throttle and a starting motor, whichv comprises electro-ma'gnetic means operatively connected to the throttle and arrangedupon energization to move the throttle to the starting position, a circuit including said electro-magnetic means and said starting motor, a source of current supply in said circuit, and manually operable controlling means controlling the supply of said current to said circuit.

2. In combination with an internal combustion engine having a throttle and astarting motor, a

fsaid electro-magnetic means, electrically actu-' ated means controlling the circuit, a second circuit extending from said controlling means to a remote point, manually operablevcircuit controlling means in said second circuit at said remote point, and a source of relatively high potential and low current electrical energy in said second circuit.

4. Controlling mechanism for use in conjunction with an internal combustion engine having a plurality of controls, which comprises a plurality of electro-magnetic means associated with said controls, a circuit including a source of relatively high current and low potential electricity and'including each of said elect-ro-magnetic means, a circuit breaker associated with each of said electro-magnetic means, an electrically actuatedoperating device connected with each circuit breaker, a control board at a point remote from said engine, a plurality of conductors extending from said operating devices to said control board, manually operable means controlling the operating devices associated with said conductors on said control board, said conductors and devices on the control board comprising a circuit and including a source of relatively high potential low curent electricity.

5. Controlling mechanism for use in conjunction with an internal combustion-engine having a throttle, which comprises electro-magnetic means associated with the throttle of said engine, a source of relatively low potential and relatively high current electrical energy, a circuit including said source and said electro-magnetic means, electrically actuated means controlling the circuit. a second circuit extending from said controlling means to a remote point, manually operable circuit controlling means in said second circuit at said remote point, and a source of relatively high potential and lowcurrent electrical energy in said second circuit.

6. Controlling mechanism for use in conjunction with an internal combustion engine having an ignition circuit, and a switch in said ignition circuit, which comprises electro-magnetic means associated with the switch of said engine, a source of relatively low potential and relatively high current electrical energy, a circuit including said source and said electro-magnetic means, electrically actuated means controlling the circuit, a second circuit extending from said controlling means to a remote point, manually operable circuit controlling means in said second cir cuit at said remote point, and a source of relatively high potential and low current electrical energy in said second circuit. M

7. Controlling mechanism for use in conjunction with an internal combustion engine-having a, 1

throttle and a timing mechanism, which comprises electro-magnetic means associated with the throttle and timing mechanism of said engine,

asource ofrelatively low potential and relatively high current electrical energy, a circuit including saidsource and said electro-magnetic means, electrically actuated means controlling the circuit, a second circuit extending from said controlling means to a remote point, manually operable circuit controlling means in said second circuit at said remote point, and a source of relatively high potential andlow current electrical energy in said second circuit. I

8. Controlling mechanism for use in conjunce tion with an internal combustion engine having a throttle and a timing mechanism, electro-ma netic means associated with said throttle, electromagnetic means connected therewith associated with said timing mechanism, a source of relatively low potential and relatively high current electrical energy, a circuit including said source and said electro-magnetic.means, electrically actuated means controlling the circuit, a second circuit extending from said controlling means to a remote point,manually operable circuit controlling means in said second circuit at said remote point, and a source of relatively high poten tial and low current electrical energy in said second circuit.

9. Controlling mechanism for use in conjunction with an internal combustion engine having a starting motor, a throttle and a timing mechanism, electro-magnetic means associated with said throttle, electro-magnetic means connected therewith associated with said timing mechanism, the starting motdr being connected to said electro-magnetic means, a source of relatively low potential and relatively high current electrical energy, a. circuit including said source and said electro-magnetic means, electrically actuated means controlling the circuit, a second circuit extending from said controlling means to a remote point, manually operable circuit controlling means in said second circuit at said remote point, and a source of relatively high potential and low current electrical energy in said second circuit.

10. Control mechanism for an internal combustion engine provided with a throttle, with an electrical ignition system including a timer, and with a starting motor, which comprises electromagnetic means operatively connected with the throttle and arranged upon energization to move the throttle to starting position, a circuit including said electro-magnetic means and the starting motor and also including a source of ,electrical current, circuit making and breaking means in said circuit controlling the supply of electro-magnetic meanaandresilient means associated with said throttle and arranged to move the throttle and timer to running position when the electro-magnetic means is de-energized.

11. Control mechanism for an internal 'com- 12. Control mechanism for an internal com-' bustion engine provided with a throttle and with a starting motor, which comprises electro-magnetic means operatively connected with the throttle and arranged upon energization to move the throttle to starting position, a circuit including said electro-magnetic means and the starting motor and also including a source oi. electrical current, circuit making and breaking means in said circuit controlling the supply oi. current to both the electro-magnetic means and the motor, resilient means associated with said throttle and arranged to move the throttle to running position when theelectro-magnetic means is de-energized, electro-mag'netic operating I means arranged to operate said circuit closer, and manually operable controlling means electrically connected therewith and situated at a remote point.

13. Controlling mechanism for use in conjunction with an internal combustion engine having a clutch, which comprises electro-magnetic means associated with the clutch 01 said engine, a source of relatively low potential and relatively high current electrical energy, a circuit including said source and said electro-magnetic means, electrically actuated means controlling the circuit, a second circuit extending from said controlling means to a remote point, manually operable circuit controlling means in said second circuit at said remote point, and a source of relatively high potential and low current electrical energy in said second circuit.

R. D. MCDILL. 

